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Mud Sawpole #1
Never Name the Dead
No one called her Mud in Silicon Valley. There, she was Mae, a high-powered professional who had left her Kiowa roots behind a decade ago. But a cryptic voice message from her grandfather, James Sawpole, telling her to come home sounds so wrong that she catches the next plane to Oklahoma. She never expected to be plunged into a web of theft, betrayal, and murder.
Mud discovers a tribe in disarray. Fracking is damaging their ancestral lands, Kiowa families are being forced to sell off their artifacts, and frackers have threatened to kill her grandfather over his water rights. When Mud and her cousin Denny discover her grandfather missing, accused of stealing the valuable Jefferson Peace medal from the tribe museum—and stumble across a body in his work room—Mud has no choice but to search for answers.
Mud sets out into the Wildlife Refuge, determined to clear her grandfather's name and identify the killer. But she has no idea that she's about to embark on a vision quest that will involve deceit, greed, and a charging buffalo—or that a murderer is on her trail...
Mud discovers a tribe in disarray. Fracking is damaging their ancestral lands, Kiowa families are being forced to sell off their artifacts, and frackers have threatened to kill her grandfather over his water rights. When Mud and her cousin Denny discover her grandfather missing, accused of stealing the valuable Jefferson Peace medal from the tribe museum—and stumble across a body in his work room—Mud has no choice but to search for answers.
Mud sets out into the Wildlife Refuge, determined to clear her grandfather's name and identify the killer. But she has no idea that she's about to embark on a vision quest that will involve deceit, greed, and a charging buffalo—or that a murderer is on her trail...
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First published November 8, 2022
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About the author
D.M. Rowell
2 books47 followersD.M. Rowell ( Koyh Mi O Boy Dah )
Like her protagonist Mud, D. M. Rowell comes from a long line of Kiowa Storytellers within a culture that treasures oral traditions. She’s an award-winning and nominated producer/writer on several documentaries, including Vanishing Link: My Spiritual Return to the Kiowa Way, seen on PBS and winner of TrailDance 2007 Best Oklahoma Documentary.
As a child, Rowell was heavily influenced by her traditional Kiowa Grandfather, C. E. Rowell. He was an artist, master storyteller, recognized Tribal Elder and one of the last readers of the Sai-guats, winter count deerskin calendars that chronicled a hundred years of Kiowa history. Her Grandfather’s stories, memories, and art instilled a deep respect and love for her Kiowa culture and traditions within Rowell.
After a three-decade career spinning stories for Silicon Valley startups and corporations with a few escapes creating independent documentaries, Rowell started a new chapter writing a mystery series that features a Silicon Valley professional Kiowa woman and her Plains Indian tribe. The first in the series is "Never Name the Dead," Crooked Lane Books, November 8, 2022.
Rowell enjoys life in California with her partner of thirty-eight years, their son and a bossy, feral gray cat.
source: Amazon
Like her protagonist Mud, D. M. Rowell comes from a long line of Kiowa Storytellers within a culture that treasures oral traditions. She’s an award-winning and nominated producer/writer on several documentaries, including Vanishing Link: My Spiritual Return to the Kiowa Way, seen on PBS and winner of TrailDance 2007 Best Oklahoma Documentary.
As a child, Rowell was heavily influenced by her traditional Kiowa Grandfather, C. E. Rowell. He was an artist, master storyteller, recognized Tribal Elder and one of the last readers of the Sai-guats, winter count deerskin calendars that chronicled a hundred years of Kiowa history. Her Grandfather’s stories, memories, and art instilled a deep respect and love for her Kiowa culture and traditions within Rowell.
After a three-decade career spinning stories for Silicon Valley startups and corporations with a few escapes creating independent documentaries, Rowell started a new chapter writing a mystery series that features a Silicon Valley professional Kiowa woman and her Plains Indian tribe. The first in the series is "Never Name the Dead," Crooked Lane Books, November 8, 2022.
Rowell enjoys life in California with her partner of thirty-eight years, their son and a bossy, feral gray cat.
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
July 21, 2022
"We come here all alone and all that's left is your name in stone."
Never Name the Dead is a debut novel by D.M. Rowell. Rowell presents a journey into the Kiowa culture in the voice of a young gay woman who has left her home in Lawton, Oklahoma to build her own agency in Silicon Valley, California. Mae Sawpole receives an urgent message from her grandfather, James, a Tribal Elder, to come back home. There's no explanation and no further messages.
Mae drops everything including finalizing a major account in order to be with her grandfather. But when she lands at the small airport, her grandfather is not there to meet her. In fact, no one knows exactly where he is.
Mae meets up with her cousin, Denny, and the two of them begin the search for her grandfather. They begin uncovering an unscrupulous art dealer who is trying to bilk Native Americans out of their family heirlooms. Conditions in the backcountry have forced them to sell these antiquities to make ends meet. In addition, they've come upon evidence of illegal fracking on Indian owned land that has threatened their water sources. It seems that Mae's grandfather has been in the midst of all this. A dead body has also been found. Could it be James Sawpole?
While I enjoyed Never Name the Dead, I did have some issues with pages and pages of background Kiowa history. While informative, too much of it was more lecture quality instead of junctures to keep the plot moving. In fact, a long historical discussion between two characters took place immediately following the discovery of a dead body. Chitchat was not needed in that moment. There were also interruptions from constant phone calls from Silicon Valley as well. The fluidity of the storyline was in jeopardy. Perhaps good editing needed a revisit.
But this was a debut novel and the subject matter visits a genre that needs more and more of a spotlight in regard to Native Americans. It is my hope that D.M. Rowell uses this novel as a springboard to more and more in the future. I sincerely will be looking forward to the next offerings.
I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to D.M. Rowell for the opportunity.
Never Name the Dead is a debut novel by D.M. Rowell. Rowell presents a journey into the Kiowa culture in the voice of a young gay woman who has left her home in Lawton, Oklahoma to build her own agency in Silicon Valley, California. Mae Sawpole receives an urgent message from her grandfather, James, a Tribal Elder, to come back home. There's no explanation and no further messages.
Mae drops everything including finalizing a major account in order to be with her grandfather. But when she lands at the small airport, her grandfather is not there to meet her. In fact, no one knows exactly where he is.
Mae meets up with her cousin, Denny, and the two of them begin the search for her grandfather. They begin uncovering an unscrupulous art dealer who is trying to bilk Native Americans out of their family heirlooms. Conditions in the backcountry have forced them to sell these antiquities to make ends meet. In addition, they've come upon evidence of illegal fracking on Indian owned land that has threatened their water sources. It seems that Mae's grandfather has been in the midst of all this. A dead body has also been found. Could it be James Sawpole?
While I enjoyed Never Name the Dead, I did have some issues with pages and pages of background Kiowa history. While informative, too much of it was more lecture quality instead of junctures to keep the plot moving. In fact, a long historical discussion between two characters took place immediately following the discovery of a dead body. Chitchat was not needed in that moment. There were also interruptions from constant phone calls from Silicon Valley as well. The fluidity of the storyline was in jeopardy. Perhaps good editing needed a revisit.
But this was a debut novel and the subject matter visits a genre that needs more and more of a spotlight in regard to Native Americans. It is my hope that D.M. Rowell uses this novel as a springboard to more and more in the future. I sincerely will be looking forward to the next offerings.
I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to D.M. Rowell for the opportunity.
November 15, 2022
Mae - Mud receives a phone call from her grandfather to urgently return home. As Kiowa culture they have certain believes and specifics that Mae cannot ignore.
The first half of this book is more about her journey returning home and then discovering a body in the house. I felt like it could have been a shorter journey. There was plenty of mystery in this book but not many thriller aspects and that left me wanting more than I received. The writing style was good and the I really appreciated that the author took the time to explain the culture.
Overall a good read.
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
The first half of this book is more about her journey returning home and then discovering a body in the house. I felt like it could have been a shorter journey. There was plenty of mystery in this book but not many thriller aspects and that left me wanting more than I received. The writing style was good and the I really appreciated that the author took the time to explain the culture.
Overall a good read.
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
March 28, 2022
Fascinating story. Mud is such an inspirational character with determination to figure things out. I enjoyed how fast paced this book was for me. Kept me completely interested. Such a fascinating read. The author surely knows how to captivate an audience!
This ARC was given to me from NetGalley and the publishers to read/review plus give my personal opinions on this book. All statements above are my own and based solely on my own opinions after reading the book.
This ARC was given to me from NetGalley and the publishers to read/review plus give my personal opinions on this book. All statements above are my own and based solely on my own opinions after reading the book.
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June 7, 2023A lot to like about this murder mystery, starring Mud, a Kiowa Native American who left for Silicon Valley a decade ago but is called back by a cryptic message, and finds herself embroiled in mystery, murder, and skulduggery, also reuniting with her ?misguided ?evil ex (a woman now married to the local bully boy) and dealing with her ambivalent feelings and her split identity. All of that is really intriguing, as is the detail about life as a Kiowa, the ever-present thrum of tradition and belief, the cultural ways and traditions, and so on.
It did need a stronger edit (it's a debut)--overall, but also there are quite a few points that feel like the author explaining the plot to herself, and a couple of clunky passages of Villains Admit What They Did. Nothing that couldn't have been sorted by a proper edit, but the reading experience wasn't as smooth as it could be.
(There's also an odd kind of repetition: when the author explains something about Kiowa ways (a hand signal, the meaning of a word, a taboo) the exact same information is very frequently repeated at least once in the next few pages. It's so striking and happens so often, I was wondering if it related to Mud's role as the tribe storyteller, given repetition is such a feature of oral traditional storytelling. But I might be completely wrong and it's an editor thinking this stuff needs to be hammered into the reader's head. IDK.)
Very well drawn setting, with a strong sense of place and of culture and a vivid cast of characters. The mystery has some nice twists though it's not super complex. There are quite a few unresolved plotlines (the fracking, Mud's company, possible romances) but those will be addressed in the next book judging by the synopsis: the intention is clearly full on roman fleuve, and why not.
Overall a really interesting debut if not flawless, and I want to see where the author goes with the series.
It did need a stronger edit (it's a debut)--overall, but also there are quite a few points that feel like the author explaining the plot to herself, and a couple of clunky passages of Villains Admit What They Did. Nothing that couldn't have been sorted by a proper edit, but the reading experience wasn't as smooth as it could be.
(There's also an odd kind of repetition: when the author explains something about Kiowa ways (a hand signal, the meaning of a word, a taboo) the exact same information is very frequently repeated at least once in the next few pages. It's so striking and happens so often, I was wondering if it related to Mud's role as the tribe storyteller, given repetition is such a feature of oral traditional storytelling. But I might be completely wrong and it's an editor thinking this stuff needs to be hammered into the reader's head. IDK.)
Very well drawn setting, with a strong sense of place and of culture and a vivid cast of characters. The mystery has some nice twists though it's not super complex. There are quite a few unresolved plotlines (the fracking, Mud's company, possible romances) but those will be addressed in the next book judging by the synopsis: the intention is clearly full on roman fleuve, and why not.
Overall a really interesting debut if not flawless, and I want to see where the author goes with the series.
January 3, 2023
3.0 stars
I appreciated the Indiginous cultural elements within this novel but I found the story itself a bit dry and forgettable.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I appreciated the Indiginous cultural elements within this novel but I found the story itself a bit dry and forgettable.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
November 8, 2022
Happy Release Day!
Never Name the Dead will be published November 8, 2022. Thank you, Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books, for a copy to review; I wish I had a better endorsement.
I'm always on the hunt for the most diverse reads and was delighted to see Never Name the Dead, a debut by a new native voice, come across my dash. The book was pitched as a gritty western mystery when I read the summary and marketing, with Indigenous culture woven in. A younger native woman, distanced from her tribal culture by time and distance, returns to where she grew up after an odd call from her grandfather. I'd be totally into that, loving the Hillerman books and having just finished watching Dark Winds on television. But...
Unfortunately, this was more like a mystery and some other heritage intrigue hitched a ride on a history vehicle, resulting in a book that is a mishmash of genres, channeling none of them terribly well. Whole passages - almost whole chapters - were history dumps, which I would have genuinely found interesting if that was the book I signed on for. The ending was a disappointing "that's it?", too.
The writing itself wasn't great; I found it reductive, juvenile, sentences very simplistic (AND it's in first-person POV, which usually sends me screaming anyways). Early on I also found sentences repetitious, which is both bad writing and operating under the assumption an audience is dumb. And there were so many ellipses. So many. In dialogue, in inner thoughts, everywhere.
I loved the idea of a queer, native protagonist solving a mystery, one which was pretty interesting when the plot wasn't sliding back into history lectures. I found the language inclusions really interesting, and other cultural information. On that basis I'll give this a 2.5 rounded up.
Never Name the Dead will be published November 8, 2022. Thank you, Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books, for a copy to review; I wish I had a better endorsement.
I'm always on the hunt for the most diverse reads and was delighted to see Never Name the Dead, a debut by a new native voice, come across my dash. The book was pitched as a gritty western mystery when I read the summary and marketing, with Indigenous culture woven in. A younger native woman, distanced from her tribal culture by time and distance, returns to where she grew up after an odd call from her grandfather. I'd be totally into that, loving the Hillerman books and having just finished watching Dark Winds on television. But...
Unfortunately, this was more like a mystery and some other heritage intrigue hitched a ride on a history vehicle, resulting in a book that is a mishmash of genres, channeling none of them terribly well. Whole passages - almost whole chapters - were history dumps, which I would have genuinely found interesting if that was the book I signed on for. The ending was a disappointing "that's it?", too.
The writing itself wasn't great; I found it reductive, juvenile, sentences very simplistic (AND it's in first-person POV, which usually sends me screaming anyways). Early on I also found sentences repetitious, which is both bad writing and operating under the assumption an audience is dumb. And there were so many ellipses. So many. In dialogue, in inner thoughts, everywhere.
I loved the idea of a queer, native protagonist solving a mystery, one which was pretty interesting when the plot wasn't sliding back into history lectures. I found the language inclusions really interesting, and other cultural information. On that basis I'll give this a 2.5 rounded up.
August 12, 2022
Thank you so much to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC; it is greatly appreciated.
I am sad to say, but this book ended up being just a 1 star read for me, and that star is purely for the Kiowa culture that I enjoyed learning about. If this wasn't an e-ARC then I honestly don't think I would have finished it.
There needs to be a lot more editing done here. There is an abundance of redundant paragraphs throughout this book that constantly took me out of the story. It felt like we were just idiling in the same thoughts over and over again instead of continuing on with events. This led me to skimming the last several chapters, as there was just so much included that simply didn't matter to the story.
For being a mystery novel there isn't much solved at the end. I shouted, "Wait, that's it !?" when I turned the page and the Acknowledgments were staring at me. There are essentially three plotlines happening simultaneously, and we are learning about them right up until the end, but only one is officially solved. The other two are just determined to be dealt with another day, so then what was the point ? It just made it feel like a good chunk of the book was pointless in the end.
I am sad to say, but this book ended up being just a 1 star read for me, and that star is purely for the Kiowa culture that I enjoyed learning about. If this wasn't an e-ARC then I honestly don't think I would have finished it.
There needs to be a lot more editing done here. There is an abundance of redundant paragraphs throughout this book that constantly took me out of the story. It felt like we were just idiling in the same thoughts over and over again instead of continuing on with events. This led me to skimming the last several chapters, as there was just so much included that simply didn't matter to the story.
For being a mystery novel there isn't much solved at the end. I shouted, "Wait, that's it !?" when I turned the page and the Acknowledgments were staring at me. There are essentially three plotlines happening simultaneously, and we are learning about them right up until the end, but only one is officially solved. The other two are just determined to be dealt with another day, so then what was the point ? It just made it feel like a good chunk of the book was pointless in the end.
December 21, 2022
Never Name the Dead introduces us to Mae "Mud" Sawpole, a Kiowa, who is asked by her grandfather James to come home from Silicon Valley to Oklahoma to help him in a cryptic message. When she arrives, James is nowhere to be found. Where is he? Her search for him leads to more questions, a dead body, theft of the Jefferson Peace Medal, and illegal fracking; but not to James. Mae tries to follow the leads and solve all the mysteries while trying to locate her grandfather.
This debut was quite enjoyable. This reads more like the first in a series, as we get a lot of back story on Mae and her struggles with not being accepted by other Kiowas because of her looks.
Some reviewers mention there's too much history in this book. I, however, disagree. The history is relevant to the story and learning about the Kiowa culture, and how and why the Kiowa interact the way they do with each other. There were a few loose ends, and I hope they will be addressed in the next book, assuming that there is one.
My thanks to Crooked Lane Books, D.M. Rowell, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
This debut was quite enjoyable. This reads more like the first in a series, as we get a lot of back story on Mae and her struggles with not being accepted by other Kiowas because of her looks.
Some reviewers mention there's too much history in this book. I, however, disagree. The history is relevant to the story and learning about the Kiowa culture, and how and why the Kiowa interact the way they do with each other. There were a few loose ends, and I hope they will be addressed in the next book, assuming that there is one.
My thanks to Crooked Lane Books, D.M. Rowell, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
August 25, 2022
Never Name the Dead by DM Rowell is perfect for the people that like mystery, with strong family relationships, and a story that really unfolds with the character. It truly felt like I was figuring everything out at the same time Mud was and to me that is the perfect pacing. Mud is a strong female hero that readers can easily root for. I also like how some of this story seems to be inspired by the author’s real life. It’s definitely a strong beginning to a new series.
Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 2, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.
I really enjoyed Never Name the Dead for many reasons, but most of all, I loved this window into Kiowa culture.
"The land demanded attention. This was Kiowa country as it had been for my ancestors - rough, wild, and harshly beautiful."
When Mae returns home at her grandfather's urging, the world she left behind embraces her right from the airport. Thrown into tribal politics, finding her footing within her family and the community, and rediscovering herself are the true gems within this story. Sure, the mystery is twisty and complex and keeps you guessing until the end, but it's really the backdrop to the greater story that is Mae accepting the role she was born into in her community.
I've had very limited exposure to Native American culture, and I've only read (and know of) one other book with a similar focus. Winter Counts spotlights the Sicangu Lakota people who live on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, and Never Name the Dead is about the Kiowa people who migrated from Montana to Colorado and eventually into Oklahoma. While it's not great reading about how the historical atrocities against Native Americans have not been left in the past, it's better than being swept under the rug and forgotten about. I know I definitely need to add more books by Native American authors to my TBR.
"How easily I had forgotten the families living without power or running water on reservations and what had been reservation lands. Native Americans, America's proud first Americans, are the poorest in our nation - an unseen and overlooked minority. I shook my head and made a mental promise to do better."
The only complaint I have is the fluidity of the narrative. It was difficult enough to strike the right balance between keeping the mystery moving forward while explaining Kiowa culture and history, let alone having these constant calls coming in from Silicon Valley. I liked the tug of war Mae felt between what she considers her future, her business, and her history, but it affected the flow of the story. It was such a relief when Mae had to leave her phone behind at one point - we finally got to relax into what was happening and just let it happen.
The ending was a little abrupt. Is there supposed to be another book? There are so many loose ends left untied; there better be more coming!
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
I really enjoyed Never Name the Dead for many reasons, but most of all, I loved this window into Kiowa culture.
"The land demanded attention. This was Kiowa country as it had been for my ancestors - rough, wild, and harshly beautiful."
When Mae returns home at her grandfather's urging, the world she left behind embraces her right from the airport. Thrown into tribal politics, finding her footing within her family and the community, and rediscovering herself are the true gems within this story. Sure, the mystery is twisty and complex and keeps you guessing until the end, but it's really the backdrop to the greater story that is Mae accepting the role she was born into in her community.
I've had very limited exposure to Native American culture, and I've only read (and know of) one other book with a similar focus. Winter Counts spotlights the Sicangu Lakota people who live on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, and Never Name the Dead is about the Kiowa people who migrated from Montana to Colorado and eventually into Oklahoma. While it's not great reading about how the historical atrocities against Native Americans have not been left in the past, it's better than being swept under the rug and forgotten about. I know I definitely need to add more books by Native American authors to my TBR.
"How easily I had forgotten the families living without power or running water on reservations and what had been reservation lands. Native Americans, America's proud first Americans, are the poorest in our nation - an unseen and overlooked minority. I shook my head and made a mental promise to do better."
The only complaint I have is the fluidity of the narrative. It was difficult enough to strike the right balance between keeping the mystery moving forward while explaining Kiowa culture and history, let alone having these constant calls coming in from Silicon Valley. I liked the tug of war Mae felt between what she considers her future, her business, and her history, but it affected the flow of the story. It was such a relief when Mae had to leave her phone behind at one point - we finally got to relax into what was happening and just let it happen.
The ending was a little abrupt. Is there supposed to be another book? There are so many loose ends left untied; there better be more coming!
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
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March 4, 2022
I was lucky enough to get this book as An ARC from Net Galley and I was completely enamored by the story and the cultural aspect of Kiowa in this novel. It was a fantastic story and experience for me as a reader. Mud was a super cool character and her balancing act of being a businesswoman and going back home and being a detective, but ultimately a storyteller, was fantastic and enthralling. I was really taken with the story and the fact that it took place over one day. The story was tightly woven (maybe too tight in some parts) and the reveals were really cool and twisty. I didn't figure it out until the last 50 pages or so, so bravo to Rowell for keeping the people responsible hidden. I assume there will be more books featuring Mud and I look forward to reading those as well. Good stuff here.
September 14, 2022
What I loved was the interweaving of culture of the Kiowa People into a mystery involving invasion of their lands and traditions. Mud has left her Oklahoma tribe for a successful life in Silicon Valley where she goes by the name of Mae. But her native roots pull her homeward through her beloved grandfather, and in one day she reconnects. While the Kiowa portions rang true, I found the mystery itself merely tacked on to gain a wider audience, and the writing to be repetitive and labored. Still, I'll read more of what D. M. Rowell's work to learn more about the People.
August 18, 2022
Wow! What a beautiful piece of work. This author pulls you in and makes you want more! I actually finished reading this in 1 day. I could not put it down!! I really enjoyed the personal elements she put in. I also liked that she brought in things that still effect native persons. While it's a work of fiction, her usage of current situations adds light and shows others what really goes on within the native reservations. I liked the inclusion of stories from within the Kiowa tribe! Very beautiful. I didn't expect that ending either!!
January 25, 2023
Unfortunately I had to DNF (I really didn’t want to but I wasn’t going to force myself to read something I didn’t like). It was just so boring. No action. Repetitive. A bit confusing at times with unnecessary characters. I just couldn’t do it. I gave 2 stars because I appreciate what the story could have been & I liked the Native American culture that was added in with the Kiowa tribe. But otherwise it just couldn’t grasp my attention.
November 29, 2022
Mae Sawpole returns home suddenly to the Oklahoma Reservation she grew up on after an unexpected call from her grandfather. She knows something is wrong, and comes running, dropping everything and leaving her business in the hands of her employees and difficult business partner.
When she arrives, her grandfather is not there to pick her up from the airport. Instead, Wilson, the grandfather of the husband of her former girlfriend, and Mae, or Mud as she's known at home, gets an increasingly uncomfortable feeling that something is seriously wrong. This really is brought home when, after ditching Wilson and getting a ride some time later with her cousin, Mud returns to her grandfather's place for the first time in years to find Wilson dead there.
Mud receives visits from various people soon, and who bring various situations to her notice: illegal fracking on the Kiowa Reservation, including her grandfather's land, missing family heirlooms that had been donated to the local Kiowa museum, a suspicious-acting curator, and political intrigue amongst band leadership.
To further ratchet up the tension, Mud keeps getting calls from people at the agency, all of whom are stressed because Mae's agency is shepherding a company though the IPO launch process, and can't understand why Mae ran off to Oklahoma on her grandfather's word.
I loved all the tension evoked by all the personal dynamics and grudges, and the reveal of multiple questionable or illegal activities going on. Mae manages to wade through the confusing statements and motives, while also reconnecting with her heritage and her past, and dealing with a reason she ran from home and hadn't looked back in years.
I liked that though one issue was resolved (the identity of the murder and the reason for one of the artifacts' thefts), I was left wondering by the end of the book how Mud will want to balance her concerns about her agency with the festering issues on the Reservation. I hope that means we'll get more of Mud Sawpole, which would make me happy.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
When she arrives, her grandfather is not there to pick her up from the airport. Instead, Wilson, the grandfather of the husband of her former girlfriend, and Mae, or Mud as she's known at home, gets an increasingly uncomfortable feeling that something is seriously wrong. This really is brought home when, after ditching Wilson and getting a ride some time later with her cousin, Mud returns to her grandfather's place for the first time in years to find Wilson dead there.
Mud receives visits from various people soon, and who bring various situations to her notice: illegal fracking on the Kiowa Reservation, including her grandfather's land, missing family heirlooms that had been donated to the local Kiowa museum, a suspicious-acting curator, and political intrigue amongst band leadership.
To further ratchet up the tension, Mud keeps getting calls from people at the agency, all of whom are stressed because Mae's agency is shepherding a company though the IPO launch process, and can't understand why Mae ran off to Oklahoma on her grandfather's word.
I loved all the tension evoked by all the personal dynamics and grudges, and the reveal of multiple questionable or illegal activities going on. Mae manages to wade through the confusing statements and motives, while also reconnecting with her heritage and her past, and dealing with a reason she ran from home and hadn't looked back in years.
I liked that though one issue was resolved (the identity of the murder and the reason for one of the artifacts' thefts), I was left wondering by the end of the book how Mud will want to balance her concerns about her agency with the festering issues on the Reservation. I hope that means we'll get more of Mud Sawpole, which would make me happy.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
January 27, 2023
There was so much potential for this to be an important book. It addresses the oft not discussed culture of the Kiowa Nation, the dangers of fracking, the political mistreatment and dismissal of Native Americans, and the advantage that is taken of First Nation members by "collectors". More importantly, it addresses them in an approachable way, simply showing the devastation without apportioning blame (which, as we all know, is when the people that should be taking responsibility stop listening). Which is why I am sad and disappointed that this book is such a mess.
As other reviewers have said, it is repetitive, but that doesn't quite capture the scope to which this book repeats itself. I find myself questioning the capability of the editor and the publisher, which I don't often do. There was clearly a severe lack effort to properly edit and make the book A BOOK and not just a collection of writing exercises. The author writes in the acknowledgements that this began as part of a writer's workshop, and those roots are clear. Certain chapters are just writing exercises- write an action sequence, write a bottle conversation, write a surprise conflict, describe a room as if you're in the dark. They're shoved in here to pad out a mystery that had no right to be a mystery.
D.M. Rowell is writing author-insert fan-fiction here. I have nothing against fan-fiction, but this is clearly written to serve the author's fantasies rather than to tell a cohesive story. But her writing style is engaging and it promises more- which is why I read to the end without enjoying the journey. Take out the mystery. Age up your character to fit their challenges. Show me the challenges of coming home to a place that wanted you but othered you. Show me the fight of the underdog and the strength that comes in middle age from a life well-earned, instead of thrusting this story on the shoulders of a girl still at the beginning of her story. Show me why it takes so much more strength to go home than it does to take on a major corporation. I want to see more from this author, but I want her to believe in her character and her character's story, instead of just writing down how she wished conversations had gone earlier in life.
As other reviewers have said, it is repetitive, but that doesn't quite capture the scope to which this book repeats itself. I find myself questioning the capability of the editor and the publisher, which I don't often do. There was clearly a severe lack effort to properly edit and make the book A BOOK and not just a collection of writing exercises. The author writes in the acknowledgements that this began as part of a writer's workshop, and those roots are clear. Certain chapters are just writing exercises- write an action sequence, write a bottle conversation, write a surprise conflict, describe a room as if you're in the dark. They're shoved in here to pad out a mystery that had no right to be a mystery.
D.M. Rowell is writing author-insert fan-fiction here. I have nothing against fan-fiction, but this is clearly written to serve the author's fantasies rather than to tell a cohesive story. But her writing style is engaging and it promises more- which is why I read to the end without enjoying the journey. Take out the mystery. Age up your character to fit their challenges. Show me the challenges of coming home to a place that wanted you but othered you. Show me the fight of the underdog and the strength that comes in middle age from a life well-earned, instead of thrusting this story on the shoulders of a girl still at the beginning of her story. Show me why it takes so much more strength to go home than it does to take on a major corporation. I want to see more from this author, but I want her to believe in her character and her character's story, instead of just writing down how she wished conversations had gone earlier in life.
May 22, 2023
A great start to a new series! A Kiowa woman returns home (to Oklahoma) in response to an unusual phonecall from her grandfather. Once she arrives: missing persons, stolen artifacts, illegal fracking, and MURDER!!
I appreciated the details shared by the author about the Kiowa people. It made the story all the more engaging. Even though Mae/Mud has been away from her family for some time, she's still fiercely loving and loyal and willing to dig in and step up when there is trouble.
Not all threads introduced were wrapped-up, so I'm already anxious for the next novel!
I appreciated the details shared by the author about the Kiowa people. It made the story all the more engaging. Even though Mae/Mud has been away from her family for some time, she's still fiercely loving and loyal and willing to dig in and step up when there is trouble.
Not all threads introduced were wrapped-up, so I'm already anxious for the next novel!
January 14, 2023
My first Once Upon a Book Club book. Two wild animal chases???
February 13, 2023
In Never Name the Dead, Mae(or Mud as she is known by the Kiowa) is summoned by her Kiowa grandfather to return home from her high powered position in Silicon Valley.
She arrives, yet she doesn't find her grandfather and is immediately thrown into one mystery after another. Heavy issues of the day as fracking, poisoned water sources, and the disappearance of tribal artifacts and treasures seem to be involved.
Somebody is murdered and Mud ends up teaming up with her cousin Denny to solve the mystery.
I felt that I learned quite a bit about Kiowa culture and the area of Oklahoma it was set in. I would love the opportunity to have a World Famous Meers Burger.
I had hoped for a more exciting book, but found it somewhat stilted with uneven pacing and as much discussion as action.
It does have promising characters and I would give another in the series a chance.
She arrives, yet she doesn't find her grandfather and is immediately thrown into one mystery after another. Heavy issues of the day as fracking, poisoned water sources, and the disappearance of tribal artifacts and treasures seem to be involved.
Somebody is murdered and Mud ends up teaming up with her cousin Denny to solve the mystery.
I felt that I learned quite a bit about Kiowa culture and the area of Oklahoma it was set in. I would love the opportunity to have a World Famous Meers Burger.
I had hoped for a more exciting book, but found it somewhat stilted with uneven pacing and as much discussion as action.
It does have promising characters and I would give another in the series a chance.
January 8, 2023
This is typically not a book that I think I would had picked out or even known about it it hadn’t been included in one of my book boxes that I get. However, I’m glad that I got it and was able to read it. It’s about a girl Mae aka Mud and her family who are from the Kiowa tribe. It’s a mystery full of old grudges, tribal traditions and protecting the Kiowa heritage and history. This story follows Mae as she tries to help her grandfather who called her and asked for help. She doesn’t know what he needs til she gets back to where she grew up. Theft, murder and lies are what she finds waiting for her. I enjoyed this book and give it 3.5 stars. While it is fiction the author did a great job of telling parts of the Kiowa traditions & heritage which was real and that the author learned from their grandfather & family members.
June 17, 2023
There is quite a lot to like here, like the sense of place and of cultural heritage. And I enjoyed the idea of a queer native woman as the protagonist of a mystery.
But sadly, there are some typical issues of a debut novel (uneven pacing, too much exposition, repetitions, the murder confession) and some others that a good editor could have fixed.
The mystery is interesting, although not so hard to crack. But I liked Mud and her relationship with her brother :D
All in all, this is a good story for a first book, I'll probably read the next one.
But sadly, there are some typical issues of a debut novel (uneven pacing, too much exposition, repetitions, the murder confession) and some others that a good editor could have fixed.
The mystery is interesting, although not so hard to crack. But I liked Mud and her relationship with her brother :D
All in all, this is a good story for a first book, I'll probably read the next one.
dnf
July 20, 2023The author wrote this book very biographical and inspired by her life but in the plot of a mystery. This book reads very much as a debut novel. Unfortunately I’m a mood reader and a practically nonfiction autobiography with beginner world building is not something I’m in the mood for. Rather than take the time and rate with a 3 star I would rather DNF and pass the book on to someone who will enjoy it otherwise
January 3, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. The author’s writing style feels like you are sitting and listening to stories by your elders.
There’s something about this book. The book is rich with Native American culture.
Mud is an interesting protagonist. Loved how she put everything together and got the murderer to own up in front of a room full of witnesses!!
Thank you @netgalley for the ARC.
There’s something about this book. The book is rich with Native American culture.
Mud is an interesting protagonist. Loved how she put everything together and got the murderer to own up in front of a room full of witnesses!!
Thank you @netgalley for the ARC.
January 21, 2023
I am part Native American (Creek, also in Oklahoma), and I love thrillers/mysteries, so I was very excited for this book. But it didn’t work for me. I found the writing very choppy and repetitive. I liked learning about the Kiowas, but it was written in a way that didn’t flow well. It was SO repetitive, I started getting frustrated. The amount of time she said “James, my grandpa” was infuriating - we know he’s her grandpa! I felt like the repetition came from trying to make the story into a full length novel, because I think the story could have been told with 100 fewer pages and would have been better. Maybe I’ll read the second book to see if it’s any better. Also, why is she always falling? And TWO animal chases? Really? I also think it’s pretty unbelievable that this whole story took place in a single day.
March 29, 2023
I was excited to read this book, but it fell flat for me. The cultural background and tribal language interspersed in the story was interesting, but the writing itself was not very well done. The sentences were short and choppy, almost as though written by someone in middle school. The pacing was off as well. Right in the middle of urgent action, the characters would stop to have a casual chat, or take in some beautiful scenery, or reminisce about a childhood memory. Given that someone was murdered in the story, and the main character was afraid of additional violence, it felt unnatural to suddenly stop and smell the roses.
March 18, 2022
This was atrociously written, relying on some serious willing suspension of disbelief, cardboard characters, and the idea of the "magic" Native American. The dialogue was unrealistic, the plotting dull, and far too much of the story told, rather than unfolded through action, for readers.
December 9, 2024
I thought the concept of this book was interesting. I liked the way it touched on issues such as the loss of native artifacts, the exploitation of poverty among indigenous groups both from within and without, and the environmental destruction caused by illegal fracking.
However. The book itself was just incredibly boring. The writing style felt very immature, with short choppy sentences and a lot of repetition. Despite being a mystery book that begins with the discovery of a dead body, there's never any sense of urgency. While the protagonist is hiding said dead body in the other room four people visit the house and talk to her and her cousin, and yet there's no tension whatsoever. If anything, it feels comical. She seems to forget the corpse while she reminisces about her past and asks about other issues.
The author uses cheap tricks to try and build suspense, such as having the main character take a looong time to polish the mud off a piece of evidence when the reader already knows what it is. The same goes for the completion of a torn note -- we have to wait for Mud to slowly write it out, when we've already put two and two together. I found Mud to completely lack circumspection for a protagonist in a mystery. Mud gets locked in a truck and has her suitcase stolen immediately upon arriving in town and all she really thinks is "huh, weird...". She picks up a "coin" and puts it in her pocket, and when it pricks her thigh she doesn't even investigate, just shifts around a little. For the most part she seems clumsy and dense, but there's one incongruous scene where she threatens people with a metal pipe that feels like it comes out of nowhere and is never mentioned again.
I also don't understand how
The sideplot with her business just felt stupid, and I was constantly annoyed by how often her phone rang and she either ignored it, or answered it without checking to see who was calling. Also,
The audio narration made an already unpleasant book even worse. The narrator frequently stops in awkward places in the middle of sentences, and often stumbles over her words. It gets worse toward the end of the book. It makes me wonder if they only had a single take or something?! Also, the narrator's emotionless voice combines terribly with the author's short choppy sentences. At times I felt like I was watching a youtube video on 1.5 speed. If you must read this book, don't suffer through the audiobook like I did.
However. The book itself was just incredibly boring. The writing style felt very immature, with short choppy sentences and a lot of repetition. Despite being a mystery book that begins with the discovery of a dead body, there's never any sense of urgency. While the protagonist is hiding said dead body in the other room four people visit the house and talk to her and her cousin, and yet there's no tension whatsoever. If anything, it feels comical. She seems to forget the corpse while she reminisces about her past and asks about other issues.
The author uses cheap tricks to try and build suspense, such as having the main character take a looong time to polish the mud off a piece of evidence when the reader already knows what it is. The same goes for the completion of a torn note -- we have to wait for Mud to slowly write it out, when we've already put two and two together. I found Mud to completely lack circumspection for a protagonist in a mystery. Mud gets locked in a truck and has her suitcase stolen immediately upon arriving in town and all she really thinks is "huh, weird...". She picks up a "coin" and puts it in her pocket, and when it pricks her thigh she doesn't even investigate, just shifts around a little. For the most part she seems clumsy and dense, but there's one incongruous scene where she threatens people with a metal pipe that feels like it comes out of nowhere and is never mentioned again.
I also don't understand how
The sideplot with her business just felt stupid, and I was constantly annoyed by how often her phone rang and she either ignored it, or answered it without checking to see who was calling. Also,
The audio narration made an already unpleasant book even worse. The narrator frequently stops in awkward places in the middle of sentences, and often stumbles over her words. It gets worse toward the end of the book. It makes me wonder if they only had a single take or something?! Also, the narrator's emotionless voice combines terribly with the author's short choppy sentences. At times I felt like I was watching a youtube video on 1.5 speed. If you must read this book, don't suffer through the audiobook like I did.
readers-advisory
April 7, 2024"DEBUT Mud's grandfather raised her to be the next story keeper of the Kiowas in Oklahoma, but when she was ridiculed because she didn't look like a typical Kiowa, she fled to California, where she built a successful business in Silicon Valley, telling stories for companies. Her grandfather's phone call saying come home sounds urgent, though, so she catches the first flight. He doesn't meet her at the airport, but several tribal elders are there looking for him. Instead of her grandfather, she finds a tribe in trouble. Fracking is stealing their water, and their ancestral treasures are sold for necessary cash. And Mud's own grandfather is accused of stealing the tribe's prized Jefferson Peace Medal. When she finds a body in his house, Mud sets out to find her grandfather. It's her quest as she travels on foot, evades a wild boar, encounters a buffalo, and finds her way home to her people. VERDICT The mystery is secondary in this debut wrapped in Kiowa history, stories, and culture. This novel is slow-paced, but a perfect fit for a story keeper account. Recommended for readers of David Heska Wanbli Weiden's Winter Counts. --Lesa Holstine (Reviewed 10/01/2022) (Library Journal, vol 147, issue 10, p119)"
Comp to The River We Remember, "Both atmospheric, suspenseful mysteries follow characters who investigate a murder amid racial tensions in their small town. River is historical fiction; Never is set in the present day." -- CJ Connor, NoveList
Comp to Murder on the Red River by Marcie R. Rendon
Comp to The River We Remember, "Both atmospheric, suspenseful mysteries follow characters who investigate a murder amid racial tensions in their small town. River is historical fiction; Never is set in the present day." -- CJ Connor, NoveList
Comp to Murder on the Red River by Marcie R. Rendon
August 8, 2022
A murder mystery wrapped in Kiowa culture, customs, traditions and mythology. It's always an added bonus to learn something while attempting to solve a murder. This fictional story is set in Oklahoma where about half of my family tree originates from. So, I was looking forward to reading this unique genre and was not disappointed.
Mae lives in California where she runs a successful agency. Her Grandfather, James Sawpole, has phoned her with some urgency, asking her to come home to the reservation in Oklahoma. She's been away many years and is worried even more when he isn't at the airport to meet her.
Wilson, a former tribal legislator, is at the small terminal but isn't communicating much or answering her questions regarding Grandpa.
Grandpa's whereabouts and other missing artifacts are just the beginning on Mae's event filled journey home.
When she was young she acquired her Kiowa name from Grandpa at the ceremony, however; her cousin Denny made that into the nickname "Mud".
Mud needs to find Grandpa and determine why he needs her here now. It seems there is an important Tribal Council meeting he's expected to attend.
Mud learns the Tribes are fighting over fracking, there is possible pollution and trespassing. Then there's the missing Jefferson peace medal, an important irreplaceable symbol to the tribe.
Before she can sort anything out, she and Denny discover a man murdered in Grandpa's office.
Mud encounters many secrets in the tribal members, people aren't who they pretend to be. Her journey to find Grandpa and uncover truths is full of soul searching, risks, remembering who she is, where she came from and strengths she didn't know she possessed.
It is a beautifully written, fascinating story within a culture we should be more familiar with. Hard to say if I enjoyed the mystery or the setting more. The plot kept me guessing and the newfound knowledge kept me reading. It would be wonderful to read more from this newly discovered author.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance digital copy of "Never Name the Dead" by D. M. Rowell and to Crooked Lane Books. These are my honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.
Mae lives in California where she runs a successful agency. Her Grandfather, James Sawpole, has phoned her with some urgency, asking her to come home to the reservation in Oklahoma. She's been away many years and is worried even more when he isn't at the airport to meet her.
Wilson, a former tribal legislator, is at the small terminal but isn't communicating much or answering her questions regarding Grandpa.
Grandpa's whereabouts and other missing artifacts are just the beginning on Mae's event filled journey home.
When she was young she acquired her Kiowa name from Grandpa at the ceremony, however; her cousin Denny made that into the nickname "Mud".
Mud needs to find Grandpa and determine why he needs her here now. It seems there is an important Tribal Council meeting he's expected to attend.
Mud learns the Tribes are fighting over fracking, there is possible pollution and trespassing. Then there's the missing Jefferson peace medal, an important irreplaceable symbol to the tribe.
Before she can sort anything out, she and Denny discover a man murdered in Grandpa's office.
Mud encounters many secrets in the tribal members, people aren't who they pretend to be. Her journey to find Grandpa and uncover truths is full of soul searching, risks, remembering who she is, where she came from and strengths she didn't know she possessed.
It is a beautifully written, fascinating story within a culture we should be more familiar with. Hard to say if I enjoyed the mystery or the setting more. The plot kept me guessing and the newfound knowledge kept me reading. It would be wonderful to read more from this newly discovered author.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance digital copy of "Never Name the Dead" by D. M. Rowell and to Crooked Lane Books. These are my honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.
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